Sewer construction.



w. B. GRAY,- SEWER CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30. 1914.

PatentedSept. 7, 1915.

WITNESSES I I /Nl/ENTOR ///L4///M 5. 6Afl),

BY h 2 I ATTORNEYS To all'whomit may concern I of'Louisville, in the countyof Jefferson and in such manner as 'tive view of a portion of an arch circular orarched construction 1s composed 7 WILLIAM BEALL GRAY, or Lou'IsvIaLE,- 'Kmfmuoxmfnssmnonmo 'BANNONyQF.LOUISVILLE,.KE1}IT-UCKY,

an "erases-rare @FFI nAmrm ,J,

- Application med sept'emter'so; 914. S eria1l To.'864,2'63. I

, Be itknown that 1,.WILLIAM BnALi. GRAY, a citizen ,of the United States, and a resident State of Kentucky, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Sewer Gonstructions, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention is an improvement in sewer constructions, and has for its object to provide a conduit of molded'blocks arranged to providea maximum of resistance to stress n any direction, wherein a series of constructor blocks is provided laid to forma so arranged that they may be self supporting arch or curved wall, and a series of key blocks connected with the constructor blocks in suchmanner as to lock the constructor blocks againstmovement in any direction with respect to each other.

. In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a perspecconstructed the invention and with Fig. 2 is a side View in accordance with arts 1n section, and

.of the blocks used in the construction.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the conduit which maybe a sewer, or any other of two forms of blocks The blocks of one form or series are arranged with their side edges adjacent and interlocked, and the said blocks are so constructed and arranged that they may be locked by the blocks of the other form or series. The construction thus consists of a series of building'or constructor blocks," and a series of filling or key blocks. Each of theconstructor blocks is arched transversely, and for the sake of lightness, and economy the blocks are cellular or chambered. Each of the said blocks is as before stated, arched transversely on an arc of the circle upon which the arch is formed, and each of the said blocks 1 is provided with a lateral extension 2 at each of its side length of the blocks; Thus each of the concomposed of a body .50 tending chambers or recesses 3. 'Each of the be considered as being and lateral extensions and the bodies of the'blocks' in'the present instance have two similar longitudinally exstructor blocks may .extenslo'ns 2 is; also chambered' or recessed longitudinallyas. indicated ati, and one of I the extensions is provided at its outer side edge with alongitudinally extending groove grooves and permit the 5; The other extension 2 is= m1ddat its outersi'de edge with a longitudinally ex- 1.

tending rib 6, the rib-registering withthe groove of theother extension'ion the adjacent block; Each extension is groovedlongitudinallyon its upper face adjacent to-the 7 is undercut as shown at 8. "The blocks 1 are laid in courses extendinglongitudinally of the arch o'r-c'ondu'it', 'the'ri-b- 6' of-= each ceding block. Cementitious' material's, as for instance, cement or the like, isarranged between the'adja'cent'side edges o'f-the-ex-j ing a fluid tightjoint'between the construcbody of the block, as indicated at 7 andthe. f outer SIClG" wall of each of the said grooves block fitting within the groove 50f the pretensions of the constru'ctorblocks for form-'1 duit. Each of the channels'will' extend the I full length of that portion ofthe' arch or conduit which" has been already laid, and

the, key blocks are arranged "within the channels, for filling the same,

and for looking the constructor blocks together." will be evident that the inter-engagement between the groovesfi and the ribs 6 of the constructor blocks will prevent the lateral movement of the {constructor -blocks inward with respect to each other, Outward movement however, would unless the ribs 6 and the grooves 5 were of considerable depth cause the disengagement "of'theribs -from the blocks to become disengaged or unlocked,

Each of. the locking-or key blocks 10' is curved transversely on an arc of the circle upon which the -arch or, conduit is formed, and for the sake of Iightnesseach of the saidblocks is channeled or chambered longitudi nally as indicated at, 1'1, thechamb ers or'recesses being near the opposite side edges of the blocks. .Each of thesaid key blocks- 10 is provided on its under face with ,aflongitudinally extending groove 'l3,.extendingthe full length of the block andntheside walls 14. of the grooves are undercut as shown. The grooving .of the upper, faces fof Fth lateral extensions 2 provides at thefouter, side of-theupper faceof each extension a, longitudinally extending rib 1 l5, the said ribs 15- having the undercut side walls-8. ,The

grooves of the 'key blocks ha'ye: width approximately equal to the aggregate width of the ribs 15 of the constructor blocks, and

the said grooves are adapted to receive the ribs 15 of two adjacent constructor blocks.

walls of the grooves 13. Neither can the adjacent edges of the constructor blocks move either inward or outward because of the lock formed by the interengaging ribs 15 and grooves 13.

The lock provided by the key blockswould be a perfect lock, even were the ribs 6 and the grooves 5 omitted, but by providing these ribs and grooves the construction is more stable. The blocks 1 and 10 may have square ends if desired, that is, they may have their ends plane and perpendicular to the faces; or the blocks 1 and 10 may be arranged as indicated in Fig. 2. Here the constructor blocks 1 have the lateral extensions Qflwhich are shaped and grooved precisely the same as the extensions 2. Each of the blocks 1 however, has its ends rabbeted as indicated at 16 and 17, the rabbet 16 being exactly opposite to the rabbet 17. That is, the rabbet 16 is on the inner face of the block and the rabbet 17 on the outer face. When the blocks are rabbeted as shown, the rabbeted face 16 of each block will engage the rabbeted face 17 of the adjacent block. It will be understood that when the constructor blocks have their ends rabbeted, the key blocks may have their ends rabbeted. In addition to the locking function of the key blocks they have a joint breaking function, and every joint is broken. The key blocks break the joints between the constructor blocks, and the constructor blocks and the key blocks break the joints between themselves. hen the ends are rabbeted the end joints are also broken. Thus a sewer or conduit constructed with the improved blocks has an inner surface, formed from similar blocks, while the outer surface is formed from two series of blocks.

In practice the distance between the innermost portions of the undercut faces 14.- of the grooves 13 may be greater than the distanee between the outermost portion of the undercut walls 8 of two adjacent ribs 15, if desired, thus providing a mortar lock.

The improved construction provides a maximum strength against crushing stress and against collalpse from pressure at the top ofthe are. he arrangement also prolaid,

ides a maximum strength to resist expanding pressure. Any crushing stress must crush the material of the blocks and the.

upper faces of the extensions, as well as the bottom and side walls of the grooves 5 and the top and side Walls of the ribs 6 as Well as the bottoms of the grooves7 and 13, are roughened or corrugated longitudinally to provide a betterhold for the mortar or ce 1 ment which holds the blocks together.

It will be evident that when the lock between the ribs 15 and the groove 13 is a mortar lock, the key blocks may be laid by placing them directly in the channels between the bodies of the constructor blocks. In sewer construction or in any other construction where branches are necessary, or where other conduits must join the main structure, the openings for the branches and the other connections will be made in the constructor blocks, that is, each branch will have its opening in a constructor block. Thus it is only necessary to cut one block unless the branch is large.

It is obvious that a sectional sewer, that is, a sewer composed of blocks presents advantages o er a solid construction molded in place or formed from molded cylindrical sections, in that the blocks are easier handled than the sections and any size sewer may be constructed. In addition the salt glaze provides a water proof surface and an insulating surface as well.

If it is found desirable partitions may be ends of the said blocks are rabbeted to prevent the mortar from passing into the channels.- The partitions would be at the inner ends of the rabbeted portions and would form a mortar bed for ment of the mortar.

The conduit or arch constructed with the improved blocks has an inner lining of a particular type of blocks and a portion of each of the said blocks extends through to the exterior. lVhen it is desired to cut an opening into the conduit after it has been the opening may be cut through the body of a constructor block,

I claim A wall construction, comprising a series of constructor blocks and a series of key blocks each constructor block consisting of a body and lateral extensions at the inner face of the body and of less thickness than preventing displace:

the body, each extension having a longitudinally extending groove on its upper face adjacent to the body and forming a longitudinally extending rib at the outer side edge of the extension, each groove having its outer side wall undercut, the, said blocks being laid in courses with their ends and with the outer side edges of the extension. abutting, and each key block having on its inner face a longitudinally extending groove having its side wall undercut, the least width of the grooves of the key blocks being greater than the greatest aggregate width of the ribs of the extensions to permit the direct engagement of the ribs with the extensions, and mortar arranged between the blocks for forming a mortar lock between the ribs.

and the grooves, the key blocks being laid between the bodies of adjacent courses of constructor .blocks.

- WILLIAM BEALL GRAY. Witnesses: 1

HENRY M.- WoL'rmNe, JAMES L. RANEY.

Gppi'es' of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents, a Washington, D. c." 

